Translator: Khan

Editor Group: Liber Reverie

And Aria blinked without a word as if she could not believe he had come. She did not look away for a long time, as if she had been hallucinating.

Even if he had set out after the letter had arrived, he would not be able to arrive even if he had run on horseback day and night. He would not have left in advance to know she would not return, so there was only one way left.

'Using his power to move into space from the empire to Croa.' Aria could only think of it, seeing that he had brought only a large but simple bouquet of flowers, and when she realized it, she scrambled to see whether he was OK, unable to control her growing eyes.

"Oh, my God, are you OK, are you OK?"

'Why are you so reckless?'

Asher, aware of the hidden meaning in Aria's expression, smiled softly, and answered as if it were casual,

"Of course, I am fine… for now."

"Oh, my God…!"

'For now? And then it's not okay later?' She didn't know how to react, and could not hide her embarrassment with her hand over her mouth.

In the meantime, Asher handed Annie a bouquet of flowers in his arms, and then he reached for her, who was still wondering how to react when his hands were free and light.

"I've been seeing you in a long time, and I am so sad if you treat me so badly. I've come a long way."

"It's not the time you say that…"

"And, since I've already been here, there is nothing to do now anymore. Shall I go back? Unfortunately, I don't have any strength to do that, and what shall I do?"

'You are really shameless… And what kind of woman can continue to criticize when you have a smile on your face, saying that you can't undo it, knowing I'll worry.'

"…"

Aria, who had been glancing at him with her frowning eyes for a moment, took a small sight and held his hand firmly. Her hands and expression were determined to ask for the price of what Asher had done, afterward; the feeling that she would never let go of it.

"Do you like me so much, holding my hand firmly like this?"

But even that seemed to be fun to him, and his smile deepened. There was no resentment against her, not coming back on her birthday.

"I've been feeling it lately, but you've changed a lot compared to the first time I met you. I never thought you'd be like this."

"I only do that to you, and don't you like it?"

"…" She couldn't have hated a sweet, kind lover.

When Aria did not answer, she just glared at himself, and Asher's smile thickened. It was a ghastly but lovely smile.

Otherwise, Asher had all the attention of the people gathered, and Aria, who could not show this appearance of Asher anymore, took his hand and approached Violet.

"I'll introduce her to you. You haven't seen her before. This is my grandmother, Violet."

'It's good to meet you, Madame Piast.'

Asher removed his playful smile and greeted her in a very polite manner. Even though his status was far higher, he did not lower his words on the grounds that she was Aria's grandmother.

Violet blushed and greeted Asher, who was sure to know her own rumors, but did not cared about them, and kept his attitude as a lover's family.

"... you've been struggling to get here a long way, and please make yourself at home and go."

"Thank you, ma'am, but I don't know if I dare to rest in such a beautiful house, and it will take me days to see."

And that was enough to melt Aria's angry heart, and how could she not feel better when he treated her family with a sincere heart?

After that, Asher greeted the Marquis of Piast, Carin, and Chloe, and built a favorable relationship with Aria's family. He had no need to build up, but he did his best to communicate with the relatives of Aria and to build up a friendship with them.

The people who attended the party were beginning to gather around Asher, in his friendly, gentle manner, for there was no chance of seeing the Crown Prince of the empire.

"It's amazing you've cleaned up that great rebel force."

"All this is thanks to the help of Lady Aria, and it was something I couldn't have done without her helping me."

"Oh, I heard the emerging powers of Lady Piast filled the vacant seats of the empire."

"Yes, and all that is in her hands from beginning to end."

"As expected, she was a great woman, as was the rumor, and how can I express all this joy in words, for she is now a Croan?"

The nobleman of Croa laughed and spoke with a happy face, and the nobles who listened to the conversation around them could not hide their joy. They said that Croa would be prosperous, following the empire.

But as if the reactions around him were disapproving, Asher, who kept his smooth expression at all times, quickly stiffened his face. "I'm sorry, but that won't happen, because she'll be a woman of the empire again soon, in a very short time."

"Ah…"

The aristocrat was nervous and sweating in the sudden change of Asher's tone of voice, and the same were the people who listened to the conversation with a happy face around them. And the atmosphere began to cool as if it had been a cold weather in an instant.

Aria, watching from the side, sighed, saying he had a serious look on his face in a strange part. "Mr. Asher, I've never had a drink before, so my face is hot and I feel weak, and can you take me to the terrace?"

She leaned against Asher's arm to revive the ruined atmosphere, whispering quietly; her eyelashes were fluttering, and she urged Asher to move into the space for the two alone. It was the fastest and most obvious way to get rid of the main instigator.

"…"

'Where in the world is a man who can refuse to do so?'

Asher, who did not answer, hurried out of the crowded hall, with his hands around her waist. His steps were so impatient that the eyes of the people followed him again, and Aria struggled to swallow her laughter.

"Are you all right?" Then the door to the terrace closed, and Asher, with his worry and subtle feelings, brushed her cheek and asked. His expression meant that he didn't care if she was okay or not. No, it might be the fact that she was so drunk that he wanted her to lean on himself.

Indeed, she was really a heavy drinker, and she drank only a little, so she was sober, but as Aria liked his face and his insidious smile, she gently closed her eyes and leaned her cheek against his chest.

"I don't know. I had a little too much because I was a heavy drinker in the past, but I guess I was mistaken."

Asher, facing an unexpected situation, looked down at her, who was leaning on him, for a long time in silence, as if he was being tested.

"Mr. Asher?"

"… you need to sit down."

Asher, who had been in conflict, sighed heavily at her call and helped her to a chair. It seemed to be impossible to act rashly because it was the mansion where all her family was. However, Aria wouldn't let go of his hand as he sat her down and went to the other side. And his surprised eyes turned to her.

"Are you going to sit on the other side, leaving me alone who is so drunk? If I lose my balance and fall out of a chair… what do I do? I have thin bones, and I'm easily broken by a little shock."

He had no reason to doubt it, though the drunken woman's tone was not quite clear. No, if he knew it, he was willing to be tempted by her.

'How can I not be tempted when such a beautiful lover tempts me openly?' And now Aria was an adult, and he didn't have to hesitate.

"Why don't you answer, Mr. Asher? … Don't tell me, you don't mind if I get hurt, do you?"

The answer was already set. Aria urged Asher who had paused, pulling his hand very weakly, and he was able to resist it at any cost, but he was very easily dragged into her hand.

It was so quick that their postures were changed. As if magical, he sat down instead of where Aria had sat, very naturally and quickly, and he sat her on his lap. Then Arya laughed in a low voice.